Handled can carriers



Jan. 31, 1967 w. M. TOLAAS 3,301,435

HANDLED CAN CARRIERS Filed Oct. 8, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 [ZMwJ Z6 A? INVENTOR WILL/AM M. Tom/1s BY PMMQ ATTORNEY Jan. 31, 1967 w. M. TOLAAS HANDLED CAN CARRIERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 8, 1964 BMJZT/G. 7

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2 WW 5 T 6 j 9 0 3 0 INVENTOR W/. L m M /V/'. TOLAAS BY Q5 HUVWI/ ATTORNEY United States Patent tion of Minnesota Filed Oct. 8, 1964, Ser. No. 402,504 8 Claims. (Cl. 220-112) This invention relates to an improvement in handled can carriers and deals particularly with a specific manner of attaching the handle to the carrier.

Millions of can carriers have been produced in the form of an open-ended can sleeve including tab means for holding the cans retained in the sleeve. In some instances, the ends of the strip forming the sleeve have been attached by adhering two flanges together at the center of the sleeve and between two rows of cans. Also, in some instances, these flanges have bee-n provided with additional reversely turned flanges which engage the chimes of the can. The present invention resides to' a can carrier of this type but also embodying a handle con nected to the two flanges and extending therebetween.

An object of the present invention resides in the pro- VISlOIl. of a can sleeve comprising an elongated strip of paperboard folded to form a bottom panel designed to extend beneath the rows of cans, side wall panels hinged to opposite edges of the bottom panel and extending along the sides of the cans, top panels each designed to extend over the cans of one row, and flanges hinged to the inner edges of the top panels and portions of which may be adhered in face contact. Handle panels are hinged to the center portions of the flanges and are folded to extend between the flanges to project above the top panels. Chime-engaging flaps are foldably connected to the portions of the anchoring flanges on opposite sides of the handle panels, these flaps being folded outwardly and upwardly to engage the chimes of the end cans of the rows.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a modified form of construction in which spacing flaps are secured to the chime-engaging flaps to extend between the first flaps and the flanges to increase the thickness of the chime-engaging portions of the carner.

These and other objects and novel features of the present invention will be more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification and claims.

In the drawings forming a part of the specification:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the can carrier in its completed form.

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view through the center of the top portion of the carrier and between the handles.

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view through the center portion of the carrier, the position of the section being indicated by the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is also a vertical sectional view through a portion of the carrier, the position of the section being indicated by the line 4-4 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is a diagrammatic view of the blank from which the carrier is formed.

FIGURE 6 is a diagrammatic view of a modified form of blank, the center portion of the blank being broken away as it is identical to the center portion of the blank shown in FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 7 is a view similar to FIGURE 4 but showing the modified form of carrier.

The carrier A is designed to contain two rows of cans B, the carrier illustrated being used to contain six cans arranged in two rows each containing three cans. As indicated in FIGURE 5 of the drawings, the carrier A in- "cludes a bottom panel 10 which is of a width substantially equal to twice the diameter of the cans B. The bottom panel 10 is foldably connected along opposite edges 11 to side wall panels 12 which are of a width substantially equal to the height of the cans B. The side walls 12 are hingedly connected along parallel fold lines 13 to top panels 14. The top panels 14 are of a width substantially equal to the diameter of a can. The top panels 14 are connected along parallel fold line 15 to anchoring flanges 16. The anchoring flanges 16 are connected along fold lines 17 to handle panels 19. The handle panels 19 are provided with finger openings or a hand opening 20. A fold line 21 preferably extends across each handle panel 19 spaced from the fold line 17 a distance substantially equal to the width of the flanges 16 so that the handles may; swing down to lie flat against the top panels if desire The handle panels 19 extend from the center portion only of the flanges 16 and are perhaps one-half the width of the paperboard sheet forming the carrier. A pair of can chime-engaging flaps 22 are hingedly connected to the end portions of the flanges 16 along extensions of fold line 17. These flaps 22 are somewhat shorter than the width of the flanges 16.

Two pairs of tabs 23 are hingedly connected to the bottom panel 10 along fold lines 24. The tabs 23 are designed to engage into the recessed ends of the cans B in order to hold the cans retained within the sleeve. Each top panel 14 is also provided with a pair of tabs 25, the tabs being hinged to the top panels 14 along fold lines 26. The tabs 25 are designed to extend into the upper recessed ends of the cans B to retain the cans in place.

Divider tabs such as 27 maybe hinged along the center line of the bottom panel 10 as indicated at 29, these tabs 27 being designed to extend between the cans of the two rows. These tabs 27 prevent the chime of one can from riding up on the chime of the opposite can.

When the cartons are formed, the carrier is wrapped about the body of the cans in the manner shown in FIG- URE 1. During the folding operation, the flanges 16 are folded downwardly and the handle panels 19 are reversely folded upwardly to lie between the center portions of the flanges 16 as indicated in FIGURES 2 and 3 of the drawings. However, the end portions of the flanges 16 which are outwardly of the handle panels 19 are adhered together in surface contact. The lower portions of the handle panel 19 which are between the flanges 16 may also be adhered together and to the flanges 16. The upper portions of the handle panels 19 may be either adhered in face contact or may be free of adhesive connection depending upon whether or not the handle is to be folded as a unit or the individual handle panels are to be individually folded.

During the folding operation, the flaps 22 are folded in a direction opposite the folding of the handle panel so as to lie outwardly of the flanges 16 to which they are secured. As indicated in FIGURE 4 of the drawings, these flaps 22 engage the chimes 30 of the cans B so as to hold the top panels 14 snugly against the,tops of the cans. During storage and shipment, handle panels 19 may be folded flat over one of the top panels 14 as indicated in dotted outline in FIGURE 3 of the drawings, or each individual handle panel may be folded down to overlie the top panel to which it is indirectly connected.

In FIGURES 6 and 7 of the drawings, I disclose a modified form of carrier which is indicated in general by the letter C. The main portions of the blank including the bottom panel, side wall panels, and the top panels 14 are identical to those described previously, and these panels, as well as the anchoring flanges 16, have been given the same identifying number. The handle panels 19 are also identical to those described in conjunction with the blank A. In the carrier C, flaps 31 are hingedly connected to the end portions of the flange 16 along extensions of the fold line 17. Second flaps 32 which form spacer flaps are hinged to the ends of the flaps 31 along fold lines 33 which are aligned on opposite sides of the handle 19. In other words, the only difference between the carrier A and the carrier C lies in the addition of the second flaps hinged to the ends of the first flaps.

As indicated in FIGURE 7 of the drawings, the end portions of the flanges 16 are adhered in face contact and the flaps 31 are folded upwardly from the lower edges of the flanges 16 to lie against the walls of the cans B. The second flaps 32 are folded to the upper edges of the flaps 31 along the fold lines 33 to lie inwardly of the flaps 32 or between the flaps 32 and the adjoining flanges 16. The purpose of this arrangement is to increase the width of the shoulder abutting the chime 30. Thus, where the carrier is made of relatively thin paperboard, the spacer flaps 32 tend to engage the can more securely.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described the principle of construction and operation of my can carrier; and while I have endeavored to set forth the best embodiments thereof, I desire to have it understood that obvious changes may be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. A can carrier for use in conjunction with cans having a chimed end, the carrier including:

an elongated flexible sheet cut and creased to provide a bottom panel adapted to underlie two side by side rows of cans, side panels connected to opposite edges of said bot-tom panel and adapted to extend along opposite sides of the two rows of cans, and top panels connected to the upper edges of said side panels and each adapted to overlie a single row of cans, and anchoring flanges hinged to the top panels and adapted to extend downwardly between the rows of cans,

handle panels hinged to the lower edges of said flanges and adapted to fold in face contact between said flanges and to project above said top panels,

said handle panels being substantially narrower in width than the width of said flanges and being hinged to the central portions only of said flanges,

the end portions of said flanges being adapted to fold into face contact on opposite sides of said handle panels, and

chime-engaging flaps hinged to the end portions of said flanges and adapted to fold outwardly of said flanges to engage the can chimes at the upper ends of said cans.

2. The structure of claim 1 and including spacing flaps hinged to the ends of said chime-engaging flaps and adapted to fold between said chime-engaging flaps and said flanges.

3. A can carrier in combination with two side by side rows of cans, the carrier comprising an elongated sheet cut and creased to include:

a bottom panel underlying the rows of cans,

side panels connected to opposite sides of said bottom panel and extending along opposite sides of said can rows,

top panels connected to the upper edges of said side panels and each overlying the cans of one row,

flanges hinged to the inner opposed edges of said top panels and extending downwardly between the rows of cans,

a handle panel hinged to the lower edge of at least one of said flanges and extending upwardly between said flanges,

said handle panel being substantially narrower in width than the width of said flanges and hinged to the center portion only of said one flange,

the end portions of said flanges on opposite sides of said handle panel being secured in face contact.

4. A can carrier in combination with two side by side rows of cans having a chimed upper end, the carrier comprising an elongated sheet cut and creased to include:

a bottom panel underlying the rows of cans,

side panels connected to opposite sides of said bottom panel and extending along opposite sides of said can rows,

top panels connected to the upper edges of said side panels and each overlying the cans of one row, flanges hinged to the inner opposed edges of said top panels and extending downwardly between the rows of cans,

a handle panel hinged to the lower edge of at least one of said flanges and extending upwardly between said flanges,

said handle panel being substantially narrower in width than the width of said flanges and hinged to the center pontion only of said one flange, the end portions of said flanges on opposite sides of said handle panel being secured in face contact, and

flaps hinged to the lower edges of said end portions of said flanges and reversely folded to extend upwardly outwardly of said flanges into engagement with the chimed ends of certain of said cans.

5. The structure of claim 4 and including spacer flaps hinged to the upper edges of said first mentioned flaps and extending between said first mentioned flaps and said flanges.

6. A can carrier in combination with two side by side rows of cans having a chimed upper end, the carrier comprising an elongated sheet cut and creased to include:

a bottom panel underlying the rows of cans,

side panels connected to opposite sides of said bottom panel and extending along opposite sides of said can rows, top panels connected to the upper edges of said side panels and each overlying the cans of one row,

flanges hinged to the inner opposed edges of said top panels and extending downwardly between the rows of cans,

handle panels hinged to the lower edges of said flanges and folded upwardly in face contact between said flanges,

said handle panels being substantially narrower in width than the width of said flanges and being secured to the central portions only of said flanges,

the end portions of said flanges on opposite sides of said handle panels being secured in face contact, and chime-engaging flaps hinged to the lower edges of said end portions of said flanges and reversely folded to extend upwardly outwardly of said flanges into engagement with the chimes of certain of said cans.

7. The structure of claim 6 and including spacer flaps hinged to the upper edges of said chime-engaging flaps and folded between said chime-engaging flaps and said flanges.

8. A can carrier for use in conjunction with cans having a chimed end, the carrier including:

an elongated flexible sheet cut and creased to provide a bottom panel adapted to underlie two side by side rows of cans, side panels connected to opposite edges of said bottom panel and adapted to extend along opposite sides of the two rows of cans, and top panels connected to the upper edges of said side panels and each adapted to overlie a single row of cans, and anchoring flanges hinged to the top panels and adapted to extend between the rows of cans,

handle panels hinged to the edges of said flanges and adapted to fold in face contact between said flanges and to project above said top panels,

said handle panels being substantially narrower in width than the width of said flanges and being hinged to the central portions only of said flanges,

said handle panels including score lines extending across the same parallel to the lines of fold connecting said handle panels to said flanges and spaced therefrom a distance substantially equal to the length of said flanges,

the end portions of said flanges being adapted to fold into face contact on opposite sides of said handle panels, and

chime engaging flaps hinged to the end portions of said flanges and adapted to fold outwardly of said flanges to engage the can chimes at the upper ends of said cans.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Bedell 22952 Neubecker et a1 2295 2 Chidsey 2201 15 Cote 220l 12 Chidsey et al. 2201 15 10 JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner. 

1. A CAN CARRIER FOR USE IN CONJUNCTION WITH CANS HAVING A CHIMED END, THE CARRIER INCLUDING: AN ELONGATED FLEXIBLE SHEET CUT AND CREASED TO PROVIDE A BOTTOM PANEL ADAPTED TO UNDERLIE TWO SIDE BY SIDE ROWS OF CANS, SIDE PANELS CONNECTED TO OPPOSITE EDGES OF SAID BOTTOM PANEL AND ADAPTED TO EXTEND ALONG OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE TWO ROWS OF CANS, AND TOP PANELS CONNECTED TO THE UPPER EDGES OF SAID SIDE PANELS AND EACH ADAPTED TO OVERLIE AND SINGLE ROW OF CANS, AND ANCHORING FLANGES HINGED TO THE TOP PANELS AND ADAPTED TO EXTEND DOWNWARDLY BETWEEN THE ROWS OF CANS, HANDLE PANELS HINGED TO THE LOWER EDGES OF SAID FLANGES AND ADAPTED TO FOLD IN FACE CONTACT BETWEEN SAID FLANGES AND TO PROJECT ABOVE SAID TOP PANELS, 